


Promise To Never Let Go - P.T Barnum/Charity

by theglitterfades



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Angst, F/M, i would die for her, im so sorry charity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 23:55:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14436924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theglitterfades/pseuds/theglitterfades
Summary: Charity Barnum remembers the days before the fame and the fortune.





	Promise To Never Let Go - P.T Barnum/Charity

**Author's Note:**

> it's ya girl kenze
> 
> I've never been this proud of a fanfiction so enjoy
> 
> xoxo

_“Hand in my hand and you promised to never let go, we're walking the tightrope.”_

The man Charity fell in love with had slipped between her fingers, she thought. Getting a grip on their life was like grabbing water with a fist.

How many times did she have to say it? Say that she and the girls and the circus wanted no more than to be loved by him. None of them cared if the crowds got bigger; the protesters that continued to eat at their safety. He was home. The world he had built was their home.

Phineas Taylor Barnum, Charity so firmly believed, was now a man who loved nothing more than the thrill of this adventure. Now, as she stared out the water-speckled window to the lights that blurred against the rain, Phineas had left for an adventure of his own.

Not so long ago, he had promised a life for her that would contain happiness, adventure; a life with him. A promise he'd never let go of her.

-

“Almost there- and...we’re done!”

Charity’s eyes move up from her girls to Phineas and W.D above, the two of them diligently working on getting the tightropes and trapeze ready for the first rehearsal tomorrow. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, especially Phineas. She could tell by how his eyes crinkled up when he stopped working, looking around at everything he made.

The man himself finally gets down from the platform, and sneaks up on his daughters. They squeal in delight when he picks them up and swings them around. “My girls!” he exclaims, “Did you three eat supper with the others? Lettie made one mean potful of soup." Phineas sets them down, kissing both of their foreheads, then Charity’s.

Charity stands, a hand going to Phineas’ back. “They were too busy playing around and waiting for you to join. But they should go eat some supper,” she glances at them with a smile, “Go on, dears. You’ll be able to play with your daddy after.”  
The two of them nod, and giggle as they race off to where the other performers gathered. W.D saluts at Phineas with a light smile and jogs to keep up with them, leaving Charity and Phineas alone. 

“Isn’t this something, Chairy?” Phineas’ arms slink around her waist with a wide grin. “Look at all of this. People are going to love us, and come from around the world just to see this.” His eyes wander all around, imagining how it’d look with everyone in the stands, clapping and cheering for him and his circus.

She nods, “Are you happy?” 

The ringleader nods back, “I will if this works,” He mumbles, squeezing her waist. Phineas almost couldn’t expect failure from this, but that happened with his other attempts at business. This had to work. The thought of his family going to sleep hungry and cold haunted him. It was bad enough that they often ran out of food quickly. His smile fades as he stares behind Charity. 

Charity notices this, a hand going to his cheek. “And it will, even if it’s not for long,” she says gently, guiding his eyes to hers. She leans up and kisses the bridge of his nose. It was no lie that she worried, for this was one of his biggest schemes yet. Her faith in him was unquestionable but she could hear her father jeering at their failure. “Phin, please remember that money never made anyone happy. It didn’t make me happy, nor my parents. We just need enough for our girls to live without worrying where their next meal will be. We just need a place to call home. Promise me.”

The man watches her soft eyes for a long time, as if taking in her words bit by bit. He nods, and holds up his pinky. “I promise, Charity. I promised you a grand life, but I’ll put this one first.” He smiles when she takes his pinky and links it with his. 

Charity laces their fingers together, wrapping her other hand around theirs and giving it a squeeze. She brings it to her heart, the touch simple enough for her heart to flutter. 

The stage is quiet except for them, the chatter of the performers keeping the museum from going silent. Even though no candles were lit, the moon shone through the windows and brought a tranquil light to them. Charity looks up at Phineas, admiring the way his curls poked out even with his attempts to brush them down. She brushes one behind his ear, almost missing what he was about to say.

“I’ve never been on a tightrope before. How about we go on it?” Phineas asks suddenly. A smile spreads across his face, “I’m sure you haven’t either, so we should try it out together.”

Charity sighs and shakes her head, looking at the tightrope hesitantly. “I don’t know...besides, neither of us have committed murder and I certainly hope we won’t do that together.” She turns away, able to feel his hands on her waist to pull her close again. Charity rolls her eyes, “Phineas Taylor Barnum. If I go on this, you better catch me.”

“Of course I will. I’m not going to let my dear wife fall.” He says as he takes her hand and drags her to the upper level of the building.

The rope looks sturdy, but the unpromising height lurches Charity’s stomach. “You know, Phin. I may dance on rooftops, but this…” She watches him step ahead onto the rope, his steps calculated and steady. Her chest tightens when he steps further than what she could reach. Charity steps onto it once she takes off her shoes, and holds her arms out just like Phineas did.

She avoids looking down at the stage under them, her eyes glancing at her feet occasionally to make sure she doesn’t misstep. A sharp breath enters her lungs, almost freezing in the middle of moving her foot forward. Phineas notices and turns his head to meet his eyes with her earthy brown ones. 

When he offers his hand it’s out of her reach still, and he steps forward when she does. Her glare in response was enough to knock Phineas off the tightrope, and he attempts a smile in return. “Almost there, Char..” He murmurs, though she wouldn’t hear him as he goes onto the other side. 

Charity’s mouth opens to start protesting at him, forgetting to focus on her balance. Her eyes look panicked, trying to step closer to Phineas and the platform. “Phinny-”  
Phineas grabs her arms when she’s within reach, pulling her onto the platform. Charity’s eyes widen as her arms go around her husband and her head pushes into his chest. Her breathing is short and quick, her eyes fluttering closed. 

“I told you I’d catch you.”

The woman replies with a shaky nod, a sigh of relief escaping her. She doesn’t let go until Phineas leads her off the upper level. 

“I didn’t scare you too bad now, did I?” He asks, a hand on her waist.

“You always scare me,” Charity recovers quickly, and a smile is back on her face. “That’s what makes our life so exciting.” She has an arm around him too and lets go once they go back onto the stage. 

The laughter from the end of supper is like music, and Phineas uses the opportunity of their last few moments alone to take her hand. “May we?” He asks, and leads her into a slow dance once she nods. 

They twirl and dance, but they begin to sway when Charity rests her head on Phineas’ chest. She closes her eyes again, listening to his steady heartbeat. Despite how unpredictable he was, she loves how he was right there with her. She knew he was often thinking ahead, but at these moments Charity Barnum knows his attention is on her. She lifts her head, stopping their swaying to press her lips to hers. Charity goes onto her tiptoes, and Phineas holds her with a hand to her hip, the other to the small of her back.

The kiss lasts a long while until they pull away slightly, and she sighs. Her heart flutters as she hugs him, and she can feel his lips go to her ear.

“I’m always going to be here. I love you, Charity Barnum.”

\---

The illustration is the first thing Charity Barnum sees. She picks up the morning paper just as Phineas leaves to inspect the burned down museum. Her hands become shaky as she begins to skim the paper. Her eyes burn and she suddenly feels hot tears run down her cheek. 

“‘Barnum...Scandal’?” She repeats under her breath, her face pale and her eyes now dull.

Scandals happened to terrible relationships. It happened to unloyal husbands and wives who didn’t love each other. Affairs happened to a friend’s friend, but never to her. They were in love, weren’t they? No. It wouldn’t have happened if he loved her.

Charity barely manages to hold in her sobs as she hears her daughters walk down the stairs. 

“Mommy? What’s wrong?” Caroline asks, running over to hug her mother’s leg, Helen the other leg. 

The newspaper falls to her feet, and the pages scatter.

_Well, it’s all an adventure that comes with a breathtaking view, walking the tightrope with you._


End file.
